Hadrian Blackwater
" I'm just a farm boy way over my head." "Hadrian Blackwater." Corporal Hadrian Blackwater ((Born February 22 13 L.C)) is currently one of the Citrine Eagle's finest . He currently makes his home within the Eagle's keep in Talongrab. Hadrian also keeps a residence in the Barony of Torby, where he holds the title of Baron. Not much is known of Hadrian before the fall of Gilneas, before then he was just a normal farm boy who joined up with the King's army to fight back the Northgate Rebellion. After the fall of Gilneas, Hadrian was next seen in the goblin fighting pits of Gadgetzan. Hadrian's Past Hadrian was born on the 22 of February in the year 13 L.C. Growing up in Keel Harbor, Hadrian was just a simple farm boy. During his childhood, Hadrian befriended another young boy named Royce Melbern. The two were thick as thieves, getting into plenty of adventures with each other. As the two grew up, they both enlisted in the Gilnean Army. Northgate Rebellion Shortly after Hadrian enlisted into the Gilnean Army, the Northgate Rebellion broke out. Hadrian remained a staunch loyalist to King Genn Greymane, fighting against the rebels as an infantryman in the Gilnean Army. It was during this conflict that Hadrian and Royce fought side by side as comrades. Sadly, Royce was slain in battle during the Northgate Rebellion when he was shot through the eye by another sniper. Hadrian would later avenge his friend's death, but it was already too late. Hadrian found Royce slowly bleeding out. Holding his friend close, Hadrian's tears mixed with the rain as he said his final goodbye. Before dying, Royce handed his his rifle and told Hadrian to live on, saying, "You just need to cool your head, you'll get past me you dumb idiot, it's one of the reasons people like you, you always have a reason to smile." With those last remarks, Royce died in his arms. Later on in the Northgate Rebellion, Hadrian and his regiment were called to the Gilnean countryside to provide assistance to the County of Corvric. The ruling family, the House of Stoneward, were notorious Greymane loyalists and particularly vindictive towards the rebels, making them quite the target. After reports of numerous ambushes surrounding Corvric Village, Hadrian and his regiment were called to provide assistance to the Stoneward forces. One night while encamped in the village, the rebels began to rain artillery fire on the village. Completely surrounded and taking heavy artillery fire, the officers ordered the soldiers to stand by until reinforcements arrived. However, Hadrian and his comrades noticed the longer they waited, more innocents and soldiers died. Unable to stand by and do nothing much longer, Hadrian and his fellow Enlisted disobeyed their officers and made a break for the rebel artillery. The suicide charge proved to take the rebels by surprise and Hadrian and his fellow soldiers were triumphant. For his daring charge, Hadrian and his associates were lightly disciplined however their valor was recognized. For his valor, Hadrian was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Curse of the Worgen and Fall of Gilneas As peacetime settled after the defeat of the Northgate Rebellion, life slowed down for Hadrian. Hadrian remained in the Gilnean Army after the Northgate Rebellion, garrisoned at Keel Harbor. Hadrian spent much of his free time with his parents, visiting them often. When rumors began spreading following the Starlight Slasher Murders, Hadrian urged his parents to seek shelter in the city, yet they paid him no mind. As the crisis in Gilneas escalated, Hadrian was called back to Gilneas City to defend the city from this new threat. Hadrian fought with fury against the feral Worgen, however the shear numbers pushed them back to Stoneward Prison. It was at the prison Hadrian and his platoon made their final stand alongside many other brave soldiers of Gilneas. They held back the Worgen as long as they could, giving the civilians and royals a chance to escape. However, eventually they could no longer hold them back. A worgen leaped down from above on Hadrian, raking its claws down Hadrian's back, afflicting him. Hadrian, like most Worgen, has little memory of his days as a feral. He remembers particular outbursts or rage or cruelty. He remembers slaughtering his parents? (( Fill in or correct me)) (( I forget about his parents dying, you'll have to fill the rest in or write out the details )) Once Hadrian was gained control of his own body again and was able to freely transformed, Hadrian rejoined the Gilnean forces in the defense and eventual evacuation of his kingdom. Hadrian fought valiantly in the Battle of Gilneas City and was heartbroken at Prince Liam Greymane's, a hero Hadrian greatly admired, death. Afterwards, Hadrian continued to assist the Gilnean forces until they all eventually made a great exodus from their homeland at the help of Night Elves. Gladiator of Gadgetzan After Hadrian evacuated Gilneas with the rest of the Gilnean refugees, Hadrian landed in Darnassus. However, Darnassus was not to his liking. While the Night Elves were certainly hospitable and kind, Hadrian sought adventure. Some Goblin merchants stopped in Ru'theran Village spoke of this city in the south of Kalimdor that was in this paradise land and filled with riches. Eager to explore the world and quite gullible, Hadrian purchased passage to this Gadgetzan. Shortly after his passage again, Hadrian found himself cornered and shackled. The goblins enslaved Hadrian, but kept their promise of passage to Gadgetzan. However, the Gadgetzan he arrived in was desert and seedy, not paradise. The slavers were associated with the gladiator games and gambling in Gadgetzan and the goblins promised him freedom if he won and loss matches at their demand. After years of slavery, beating and losing to the right challengers, Hadrian had accumulated himself and his enslavers enough wealth to buy his freedom. F Free, at last, Hadrian did a few odd jobs around Gadgetzan, a local hero, to buy himself a passage to Stormwind City. The passage was long and difficult. Certain routes had to be taken to evade pirates as well as stopping at particular ports. Eventually, Hadrian arrived in Stormwind City. The Citrine Eagle The familiarity of Stormwind City was a slight shock to Hadrian. The few years of enslavement had their toll and to be around his countrymen and other humans again was a long waited relief. Hadrian enjoyed Stormwind City for a month or two, experiencing the city completely, before starting to seek work elsewhere. It was in Stormwind when Hadrian noticed a soaked advertisement. There were many of these plastered and scattered throughout the city. Many organizations, companies, and military orders seeking new recruits. However, this particular Canal soaked poster caught his eye. The poster was from an organization known as the Citrine Eagle that sought brave men and women to protect the Alterac Mountains. Hadrian sympathized with the Alteraci's plight, having lost his own kingdom not long ago. Hadrian sent his credentials to the Eagles the next day and soon found himself in the Alterac Mountains fighting under their banner. After sometime in the Citrine Eagle, Hadrian enlisted in then the Snowcap Brigade, now the Icewing Brigade. Hadrian's skill in combat and soldier discipline led to to his promotion as Corporal. At the Eagle's Call of May 31. in the year 36 L.C. The Snowcaps were broken up into Units, it was a shock to Hadrian to find out he was leading his own small unit, with his first member being Al Roe Wright. Tournament of Ages of 36 L.C Hadrian's attended his first Tournament of Ages in 36 L.C. He took first place in the sparring matches. Beating out all others in the Might category. as well as both champions from the Wisdom, and Grace categories. It was also at this time Hadrian made new friends within both the Alliance and the Horde. Hadrian also discovered that he was not the only Blackwater still alive. It was at the Tournament Hadrian found he had a aunt from marriage who was living in Redridge with her children. It was such a shock to Hadrian that he unfortunately missed watching his fellow Eagles joust. It was also at this time Hadrian gained two new tattoos. One was of a eagle in flight, and the other was a Horde, and Alliance emblems merged together, under said tattoo was the letter T.O.A This tattoo to him meant that both factions could come together in peace, and friendship. Speaking of peace and friendship though Hadrian made two new close friends within the Horde. Sparks from the Dominion of the Sun and a Ms Nightfall. Hadrian, learning more of what the Blood Elves had gone though, developed a sympathy for them. They had their cities and homes burned by the Undead, just as Gilneas had burned by their hands as well, But if the blood elves could take back their kingdom and rebuild, so could the Gilneans. In his words. "If an Elf can do it, damn bet a Gilnean can do it." The Fall of Stromgarde Shortly after the Tournament, Hadrian was called to arms in the battle for Stromgarde to fight back the Horde forces from the city. During the week long conflict, Hadrian slayed an Elven king, Dralaeth. Still, Hadrian was wracked with grief for killing a young child's father. His close friend Nightfall was also one of his King's guards, creating further stress. The Battle for Durnholde Keep. Hadrian, with the Alliance forces at his back, was one of the men who took the keep. However, it was too late. He and many other Alliance soldiers were trapped within the walls of the fallen keep. It was here that Hadrian could have died if it was not for his Curse. Striking down many undead, Hadrian still took a spear to the back of his leg. The pain and fear overwhelmed him and caused him to lose control of his Worgen form. Hadrian unleashed a bloodthirsty havoc upon the Undead, eventually making his way too reedom. The Fall of Strom Hadrian chose to stay behind while the other Eagles took flight to help fight back the horde, how little did he know. That it was a trap. He and Lord Toderick Stoneward were speaking about Hadrian's will when a call came over the eagle communicators. Rushing to the opening in the back walls of Stromgrade, Hadrian had to face down one of his close friends. "Sparks, and Sev." After a pitched battle Hadrian would knock out Sparks, and was about to face Sev, when the forsaken attacked. They cared not for how many of their own their killed. A plague barrel would land right next to Hadrian and the knocked out Sparks. Hadrian seeing the Barrel incoming would throw himself onto the knocked out elf to save her life, seeing as he had thicker plate armor then her weak leather armor. Hadrian felt as his skin sluffed off of his back. The Plague would burn off his Eagle tattoo given to him by Sparks at the Tournament of Ages. Ballad of the Raven (( You are probably better to write this, I can edit it though )) The Broken Isles When word of the return of the Burning Legion reached the Citrine Eagle and that King Genn Greymane would lead the Grand Alliance forces on the Broken Isles, Hadrian was both frightened and excited. Lord Toderick Stoneward, an officer in the Icewing Brigade and fellow Gilnean, announced that Eagles would have the opportunity to serve alongside the Gilnean forces and assist the Citrine Eagle throughout the conflict. Hadrian signed up immediately, joining the small unit of Eagles fighting under the Gilnean banner. As a trusted friend of Lord Stoneward, Hadrian was promoted to Lieutenant to serve as his second-in-command on the Broken Isles. After landing in Stormheim, Hadrian and the other Eagles helped establish the Gilnean command outpost of Greywatch. The Gilnean Eagles were stationed here and under the leadership of Lord Stoneward, often engaged with numerous hostile vrykul settlements in the area. However, their focus shifted away from the vrykul after the Forsaken attacked Greywatch. Eventually beating them back, Hadrian's unit was then apart of the Assault on Skold-Ashil, however this attempt to drive the Forsaken out of Stormheim failed. After the defeat of the Warchief, the Gilnean Eagles were sent to a Wardens Outpost where they engaged in skirmishes with Forsaken and hostile vrykul. Eventually, the Gilnean campaign was ended with many assigned to new posts. Lord Stoneward released the Eagles to return to the rest of the Citrine Eagle, now in Highmountain, however Hadrian remained with Lord Stoneward who would continue serving the Kingdom of Gilneas a little while longer. Return, Risen, Fall Lord Stoneward was reassigned to his House's domain in the Kingdom of Gilneas, the County of Corvric, where Hadrian had fought years ago in the Northgate Rebellion to defend the lands that were then his Toderick's father, Lord Roderick Stoneward's. However the county had significantly changed since he last saw it. Under Lord Toderick Stoneward's rule, the county had been rebuilt and improved upon a few years before the Broken Shore. Hadrian was promoted to the rank of Captain in the newly formed Stoneward Brigade. In the County of Corvric, Hadrian spent a few months focusing on rebuilding the far reaches of the county and spending time with his beloved, Iris, who was in the late terms of her pregnancy. Unfortunately, peace did not last long. The local Baron Thomas Beckett, a vassal to Lord Toderick Stoneward, took up arms against the House of Stoneward. After killing the Dowager-Countess Stoneward, the jealous Baron also invaded the Barony of Palehurst. Eventually, Lord Toderick Stoneward returned, commanding his forces in eventually defeating the rebel Baron. Hadrian was often assigned positions of command during important missions and was a trusted friend of Lord Stoneward and thus, was raised to nobility. Lord Toderick Stoneward established the House of Blackwater as the Barons of Torby to replace the rebel baron as liege of the Barony of Torby. Raised to nobility, Hadrian began to enjoy a life of luxury and happiness, even more eager for his twin children to be born soon. Tragically, the outcome was much different. During her labor of the twins, Iris perished. Hadrian was overcome with guilt, grief, and rage as this happened before his eyes. Despite the small glimmer of hope with his two children, Hadrian fell into a deep depression. Return to the Eagles Left to his depressive state to manage Torby, Lord Stoneward allowed Hadrian to heal while he returned to the Citrine Eagle. However, Hadrian was encouraged to recover soon and return to the Eagles. Eventually, Lord Stoneward arranged Hadrian's return after seeing him recovered from his terrible depression. Hadrian returned to the Eagles, taking back to the Icewing Brigade once again. Shield of a fallen friend Hadrian owns a shield that was melted down from a Fallen friend. This friend was a Robotic Gnome by the name of Bon. The Shield went by the name of: Redemption. To protect the weak and defenseless. To serve the liege lord in valor and faith. To guard the honor of fellow knights. These are but a few codes that those who call themselves Knights live by. They wish for a quick and honorable death on the battlefield, giving their lives to the weak and poor, always striving with pride and loyalty. While some may choose to use arrows, bullets, or even words to vanquish their foes, the Knights prefer to face death head on, a shield in one hand and a sword in the other, wishing to die on their feet in battle instead of old age surrounded by loved ones who only want you gone. But what makes a knight? Is it the sword they carry? The oaths they've sworn? Or is it something much more simple? Indeed it is brothers and sisters, for what makes a man or woman a knight is the shield they carry. " Poppycock!" I hear you yell, " No man nor woman should be judged by a plate of steel!" You reply. To that I say, you are correct, however a shield is much more than a mere wall of steel or wood, every crack along its hard surface is a blow that was deflected from the innocent, every stroke of paint along the face of the armor represents where you're from and who you are, and even the vary shape of the buckler can speak volumes about how you fight. Truly, every knight has a shield, and every knight has a story to go along with it... Hadrian is no exception. His existence was filled with enough grief to last seven life times, yet somehow he carries on. The shield he carries is not only a defender of the innocent and of the weak, but it was also his friend, his brother in arms. In life Bon was what one would call a "Mecha-gnome" a near fully aware and sentient mechanical being. His death came quick and unexpected, a simple rescue mission gone wrong... The Gnome ended up paying with his life to save his friends and family, Hadrian was one of them. To memorialize his now deceased friend, Hadrian had him melted down and formed into a shield, a constant reminder of the sacrifice his dear friend had made for him. The shield was forged within the fires of Alterac, formed to perfectly fit onto the mans arm. It bore the resemblance of a kite shield, named so for the kite-like shape it held, yet stood tall and true as if it were that of a tower shield. The edges of the shield had been grind down to make a cutting edge and had a small eagle followed by a mechanical cog inscribed along the edge, repeating in a pattern. Following inward would reveal a golden trim, indicating the end of the cutting edge of the barrier, and the start of the shield. Continuing inward, one would come across a small set of Gnomish letters near the bottom of the shield conforming to the natural "V" Shape it held and glowing with a golden hue. The letters would read" remember" in Gnomish tongue. Traveling upwards one would notice the shields metal would twist and turn, forming what would look like a vortex of sorts, and in the middle of the vortex stood a large golden wolfs head. Its mouth open, exposing the many finely crafted and deadly sharp teeth as well as a split tongue. The expression on the wolf was that of anger and power, the face one makes before thrusting their sword for the final time into an enemy. Its eyes were made of a thick and unpolished brass, giving them an unrelenting brown color. Along the inside of the shield would be two leather straps that had been fused permanently into the metal. One was like a belt, and was able to be tightened or loosened based on the welders desire, while other was meant to be grasped by the knight so as to give him more control over the movement of the shield. Near the top part of the shield, facing inside, would be the mark of master smith Shindo, followed by an engraving of a small cog, over laid by two wrenches that formed an "X" , this was the mark of house Tinklestien, the house that Bon hailed from. Weapons Hadrian usually carries a few weapons on him. On his hip, Hadrian keeps a standard Issue Gilnean short sword with the numbers 51265 on it's hilt. The old short sword has been with Hadrian since the day he enlisted the the Gilnean army. The grip on the hilt is made of black leather, and stained with sweet marks from his hand. The blade has the words "For Gilneas" carved into the blade along the fuller. The carving is clearly a custom job by Hadrian and not carved in at the blade's forging. The blade itself is made of normal steel, Just like all of it's brother, and sister blades. 'Redemption: ' Redemption is the wolf head shield Hadrian carried with him. it's clear that this shield had seen it's fare share of fights. Hadrian would have added pictures of his loved ones inside the shield it self. there would be a picture of a smiling blond woman, and a much older picture of Hadrian as a child next to his mother, and father. '''Wolf's bane: '''Hadrian normally carries a spadone with him, which he has walked with around for years, yet it seems to be missing for now. The sheath would be inlaid with golden thread that would show a picture of a man fighting wolves. Then of the man being stuck down by said wolves. The next bit of the sheath would have the man meet a woman who would take care of him. Then a small picture of a farm, and lastly a picture of the man, and the woman with a small boy. Wolf's Bane was Hadrian's father's blade. Wolf's Bane would be almost as tall as Hadrian the point of the sword would go down past his knee, and the hilt would be over his right shoulder. his Green cloak would often cover it as if it was covering his shame. Hadrian's rifle. is a Gilnean bolt action rifle. It is usually slung on Hadrian's back right along side Wolf's Bane, but he would hang it above his cloak. The wood of the rifle was a aged oak dark brown in color. The wood is well polished from n his time in the field. This rifle has put a lot of meat on the table. It fires 7.62x52mmR rounds. That Hadrian would often have a few rounds tucked into the straps that slung his rife. The scope would be a good mid-range hunting scope, but the glass has been shattered. Despite this, Hadrian couldn't bring himself to get rid of his friend's scope. Hadrian acquired this rifle from his late childhood friend and comrade, Royce Melbern. Royce joined the Gilnean Army at the same time as Hadrian. They had been very close friends since their childhood. This friendship carried with the pair into adulthood. Sadly, Royce was slain in battle during the Northgate Rebellion when he was shot through the eye by another sniper. Hadrian would later avenge his friend's death, but it was already too late. Hadrian found Royce slowly bleeding out. Holding his friend close Hadrian's tears would mix with the rain. Royce would hand over his rifle, and Tell Hadrian to live on. saying, "You just need to cool your head, you'll get past me you dumb idiot, it's one of the reasons people like you, you always have a reason to smile." With that Royce would die in his arms. Category:Gilnean Category:Human Category:The Citrine Eagle Category:Characters